Experimental investigation on the impact of High-Pressure PCM-Based thermal management on lithium-ion battery module performance

Abstract

This study examines the impact of applying pressure on phase change material (PCM) cooling performance on the maximum temperature (MT) and maximum temperature difference (MTD) between lithium-ion battery module (BM) cells during discharge. Its significance lies in enhancing BTMS for specific applications, such as in unmanned electric underwater vehicles, to boost speed or range. Investigated factors include initial battery module temperature (Ti) between 22 and 30 °C, discharge rate (DR) between 3 and 7C, and PCM pressure between 100 and 500 kPa. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to analyze the results. The novelty of this research is considering MTD between cells, unexplored in previous studies. Results revealed a 500 kPa pressure had the greatest effect on MT and MTD at a 7C DR, with MT decreasing from 64.8 °C to 54.6 °C, and MTD reducing by 1 °C. For a 30 °C Ti, 7C DR, and 100 kPa pressure, the PCM-cooled BM’s MT is projected to exceed 70 °C. However, with a 500 kPa pressure, the MT can be maintained below the safe limit under the same Ti and DR.